Occam

I'm going to have to take issue with this view of 'signature' architects. No doubt its very true in the case of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. That project was really known for how it brought tourism to the area and really pumped up the local economy, just by being such a cool building. BUT... Thats one great commission from a great client with a huge budget. After doing 'the big one' the high profile architects get asked to do all sorts of smaller jobs all over the country and world, and each time the little clients think they're going to be the next Bilbao, but it just ain't so. We have a Maya Lin ampitheater, but there is little doubt in my mind that this is one of her 'lesser works' or perhaps a 'secondary design' of hers. If you were to rank her artistic achievements... Rosa Parks Circle isn't going to be anywhere near the top of the list. I don't see crowds of tourists crowding onto Monroe to see Maya's design. So GR bought a Maya Lyn, but if I didn't know it, I might have assumed it was done by a city engineer. These lesser "Me Too! I want a building by 'so and so' too!" projects often keep the designers office of interns busy, but generally don't receive a huge amount of "The Masters" time. There are some international projects whose situation is ripe for a really great star designer, but most are probably better off with local talent. You'd be amazed at how cool of building some designers in GR could come up with given the leeway, challenge, and the budget to do so.

Actually, there was a group of Rhoades scholars studying urban planning in GR a couple years back. They were along the banks of the river looking out over downtown from the west side. They were viewing GR as a great example of how a downtown can embrace its River. Unlike many river cities, we have lots of downtown public parkland that faces the river, we have the pedestrian only bridge; We have the fish ladder providing a unique river experience to the public; We have museums which make great use of the riverfront. I hardly think you can say we've turned out backs on the river. Sure we don't have boats.. but compared to the average Midwest river city, GR has made incredible use of the river, and most of it is accessbile to the public, not privatized. Sure, the waterfalls prevent boat traffic.. but compared with the sad neglected concrete walled channel that one would find in say, Hamilton Ohio.. GR is an example to be followed for how to embrace a river.

I love the West Side meijer and wouldn't change all that much about it. Even though its one of the older style meijers, it doesn't seem to have become the dump that some of the others have. Sure, its not super-chic 'cascade meijers', but they still have a really good selection of foods, decent checkout lanes, and a nice close location for me and my fellow west siders. Sometimes I wonder if being on the west side gives us a better selection of ethic foods than the other locations. Don't go screwing with my Meijers.. Its not chic, and the facade may not be a cheesy faux village, but its probably the closest thing GR has to a good solid downtown grocery store. I love my West Side Meijers. A little wear and tear on the building is nothing to be ashamed of; its still very functional and serves us west siders well. It hasn't become the 'scary' meijers that some locations seem to have decayed too.